


She's Fit For a Prince (Charming)

by puffinmuffin13



Series: Personal Problems in the Present Tense [2]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: F/F, Internalized Homophobia, Lesbian Sonia Nevermind, Multi, Self-Discovery, implied crushes, some of these characters are only here for a few seconds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:27:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23876158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puffinmuffin13/pseuds/puffinmuffin13
Summary: Sonia flips through her novels, and wishes they could answer her questions about life.
Relationships: Koizumi Mahiru/Saionji Hiyoko (background), Maizono Sayaka/Sonia Nevermind, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Nanami Chiaki/Sonia Nevermind, Sonia Nevermind/Soda Kazuichi (One Sided), Sonia Nevermind/Tanaka Gundham (One sided)
Series: Personal Problems in the Present Tense [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1776847
Comments: 14
Kudos: 70





	She's Fit For a Prince (Charming)

**Author's Note:**

> It's a little late, but happy Lesbian Visibility Day! Hope you all enjoy the fic.

Sonia has been wondering about "Prince Charming"s and "happily ever after"s ever since she first heard of the two concepts

It was a foreign thing – literally – to her. Her nurse once bought her a book from far away while she was studying one of her many languages, and Sonia grew to love the collection of princess stories. Some were a bit scary at first, but that was fine, once she got used to it! The book taught her a lot about the adventures a princess could have, both before and after finding love.

They always found love, in the stories. Sonia wasn't sure why all the stories had love in them, but it must be important to these princesses.

And thus, it should become important to her too.

Sonia struts smoothly down the hall in her play gown, accompanied by her guards to her next lesson. Her book is tucked under her arms, and her heels make a clickity-clack sound as they strike the marble floor.

The sound echoes in a lonely manner.

Sonia shows the book to her tutor, and he explains that finding a man she's destined to be with is part of every girl's story as a princess – even her own.

Sonia swallows the words and doesn't question it.

Sonia's tutor introduces her to other books like the first one, and Sonia reads them as well.

Her heels get a little bit taller, and she stops wearing her play gowns so much. Sonia focuses on her studies, and grows into the princess she was born to be.

Sonia thinks, occasionally, if she'll ever meet her Prince Charming by chance, or if she'll have to go out and look for him.

Sonia decides she might as well think about some of the nice boys she saw playing from one of the palace windows, and she grows attached to a few of them.

Sonia thinks about one of the boys waking her up from an eternal slumber.

Sonia thinks about one of the boys sneaking into one of her parents' balls with the help of a fairy godmother.

Sonia thinks about her love turning into a snake at night, and her having to go out and find the cure for his curse.

Sonia wonders why none of it feels right for her. Maybe she needs to make her own fairytale?

Sonia practices language.

Sonia practices dance.

Sonia practices leadership.

Which means Sonia practices what to say to people if they confess to her.

Which means Sonia practices waltzes with the male teachers.

Which means Sonia practices diplomacy, mediating situations, financing, showing compassion, law...

... And a thousand other things.

... Like how royal marriages must work.

Sonia is old enough to brush and braid her own hair, but her childhood nurse still helps her from time to time.

Nurse says she doesn't mind, as Miss Sonia must be focusing on her studies and will not need to worry about doing her own hair.

Sonia says that she'd like to travel sometime, to understand more about the world, and when she does she'll need to have perfected the style.

Nurse asks where she wants to go.

Sonia thinks about all the tales of eloping; of finding a lover after running away, and she says she's not sure yet.

Sonia smiles when someone compliments her hairstyle.

Sonia perfects the waltz, and can move on to other forms of dance.

Sonia no longer needs to stand so close to others for so long during her long dance lessons.

Sonia isn't sure why that's a relief to her.

Sonia picks up a different kind of novel this time, one about the darker side of fairytales.

Sonia reads a greater variety of books than she used to as a child.

Sonia's bookshelf grows fuller, the old fairytales that once claimed the shelves now mixed with horror novels and the myths and legends of various religions.

Sonia grins at this, and she strides through the halls with a horror classic in her arms.

Her mother nods at her when she properly greets an ambassador from a foreign country.

Her father smiles at her when she brings up her progress in her studies as they sit down for dinner.

Sonia already makes them proud.

But Sonia wants to make them prouder.

Sonia tries out a minor ritual for good luck before an important meeting.

The spell requires she prick her finger like one of her old stories, and when she shakes the blood off she realizes this is what some of the books mean by "virgin blood."

Blood from a person who hasn't spilled their blood for a ritual before.

Sonia wonders if the books mentioning "the blood of a virgin" also mean the same thing, or if there is a difference.

Sonia thinks about if her husband will one day mind participating in rituals with her.

Sonia bandages up her finger.

The meeting goes smoothly.

Sonia speaks, and dances, and practices every lesson she learns on diplomacy, kindness, law, financing, philosophy, psychology, directing, lecturing, helping, and more.

Sonia's studies are piling up.

Sonia still completes them with hard work, and occasionally she stares out the window that doesn't show the three boys anymore.

Sonia receives a letter from Hope's Peak.

Sonia goes, and on the plane ride there, she wonders if this is finally the start of her Prince Charming fairytale.

Sonia stares out the airplane's window, taking in the sights.

Sonia puts on her gloves, delicately hurrying down the plane steps.

Sonia squeals when she sees all the people she'll get to meet and talk with.

Her dress for the first day of class is beautiful and simple. Sonia can remember the careful hands of the fitter as she measured Sonia for it.

Sonia cheerfully walks into class with her textbooks and her horror novels in her bag.

Sonia meets her classmates.

They are all so wonderful!

Chiaki is adorable like a sleepy panda, kind and mostly talkative about her favorite games.

Sonia promises to play "Zelda" with her after doing some research into what it is.

Peko is cold, but Sonia understands the type. She is like the diplomats Sonia had to meet with her parents, and her grace reminds Sonia of learning ballet.

Sonia is not put off by Peko's exterior personality, promising herself to get closer to her.

Ibuki is loud, grabbing the attention of the room with her screaming positivity. She isn't afraid of sharing her mind, and she lets the whole world know her style.

Sonia promises to listen to her sometime, but she would have done so even without a binding promise.

Mikan is quiet; a bit meek but sweet and in need of some confidence that Sonia wishes she could magically grant her.

Sonia promises to come to her if she ever gets hurt.

Sonia made a lot of promises within the first class, but those four weren't the only ones to stand out to her.

Mahiru, Hiyoko, and Akane were there, too. They smiled in their own ways, and Sonia smiles back, because why wouldn't she?

Sonia knows she's going to have a great year with "girl friends" like these.

The other students are plenty interesting, too! Sonia feels she could probably get along with Gundham, and perhaps with Nagito too.

Sonia wonders if either of them are the Prince Charming of her destiny.

Sonia wonders if she's met her Prince Charming and not realized it yet.

Nagito is strange, but his luck is amusing, and he is truly optimistic enough for the entire class. He says strange things sometimes, but Sonia knows she does the same.

Gundham is off putting to others, but he is cheerful, and is kind to animals. He is rumored to be lying about his accomplishments as a "Dark Knight," but Sonia shares too many interests with him to care even if he was.

Sonia thinks she could love them, maybe, but she'd rather her Prince Charming be Gundham.

Kazuichi latches onto her the second he hears she's a princess.

Sonia can't feel anything but disgust for him.

Kazuichi is always _there._ Ignoring her wishes, acting like she's helpless, constantly asking if there's anything he can do for her. He grows more obsessed, and Sonia shudders the first time she realizes his actions could be considered that of a stalker.

Kazuichi treats her like a doll and not a person.

Sonia thinks of one tale where a princess murders her husband and runs off, and has to remind herself murder is not a viable option here.

Kazuichi creeps her out.

Sonia thinks about Gundham instead.

Sonia begins to go to school regularly.

Sonia reads more horror novels and fairytales.

Sonia sees the same things in this country she always saw in her home one: the princess and the prince, the princess and the prince – even if they're not in those roles anymore.

Sonia wonders if she could have found more books in her home country where the guy and the girl work together instead of just the guy, and then she wonders (as she watches a movie with friends where the girl is essentially useless to the plot) if the specifics of the role really mattered at all.

Sonia is a princess, in role and in figure.

Prince Charming is a prince, in role and not necessarily in figure.

Sonia sends a letter off to her parents filled with details about her classmates.

Sonia writes about Chiaki, and Mikan, and Gundham Gundham Gundham.

Sonia notes how she dislikes Kazuichi's actions towards her.

Her parents, apparently forgetting she cannot simply have him executed, advise she murder him and take Gundham as a husband instead.

Or perhaps they are joking. Sonia never spent much time with them; she can't say she knows their senses of humor well.

Sonia sits next to Chiaki at lunch one day, eager to partake in another daily meal with classmates, when she notices Chiaki has put on make-up.

Sonia smiles and compliments the make-up.

Chiaki smiles and says it's inspired by one of her games.

Sonia asks where she got the make-up.

Sonia asks what make-up feels like.

Sonia asks what the lipstick tastes like, staring at Chiaki's lips and thinking, _She's so cool, that's so cool, I'm glad to be friends with her._

Gundham comes up before Chiaki can answer, and Sonia turns to greet her friend, invite him to sit with them because that's what she should do.

Sonia goes to class.

Sonia speaks to the teacher about Kazuichi.

Kazuichi apologizes for his actions, and stops stalking her.

Sonia is delighted.

Sonia hangs out with Gundham, petting the soft fur of his hamsters.

Sonia goes on a walk with Gundham, both of them speaking about what the woods remind them of.

Sonia brings out her textbook to read when they sit in the courtyard, and Gundham is gruff when he tells her life advice she doubts anyone else would understand.

Chiaki plays games with her, and tells her there's a rumor that she and Gundham are dating.

Sonia pauses, turning the statement over in her mind.

Sonia and Gundham.

Boyfriend and girlfriend.

Princess and prince.

Sonia merely replies that she doesn't think the story of her and Gundham is anything to talk about yet, and Chiaki nods wisely.

Sonia continues playing.

Sonia doesn't know how, but she ends up watching Chiaki play as Chiaki sits on her lap, and it's the closest Sonia has ever felt to another person.

Sonia wonders why even video games so often have romance.

Chiaki recommends her a few that don't have any.

Sonia plays those, and finds they're somehow more enjoyable than her old fairytale collections.

Perhaps she just needs new stories.

Sonia studies in class; studies outside of class; begins taking dance lessons so as not to fall behind.

Sonia speaks with her old tutor on the phone, and doesn't trip up when he switches languages in the middle of a sentence.

Sonia asks Nagito if, similarly to how she always heard of a "Prince Charming" growing up, he ever heard of a "Princess Charming."

Nagito laughs and says he didn't.

Nagito says Prince Charming would be better for him anyway.

Some people laugh.

Sonia doesn't get the joke.

Sonia decides it must be a cultural thing she hasn't learned yet.

Sonia goes to the library, taking out books on Japanese culture.

Peko joins her in her studies, as do Nekomaru and Ryota.

Nekomaru says it's important to train the brain.

Ryota is here because he needs some references for his art.

Peko says nothing.

Sonia sits and studies with them.

Sonia brings up the topic of fairytales.

Ryota speaks of various anime with plots inspired by folklore and fairytales.

Nekomaru says he heard them when he was younger, but grew out of them.

Peko shrugs and remarks that she never cared for them.

Sonia sighs, buts nods.

Sonia doesn't find the answer to what was so funny in that study session.

Nor the next.

Nor the one after that.

Sonia returns all the culture books, thinks about asking Nagito, and then looks out the window to see him get hit by a car for the second time that week.

Sonia decides it can wait.

Sonia performs a ritual with Gundham, a basic one to help a rabbit recover from illness.

Sonia asks if he's ever used blood for his spells.

Gudham says he has.

Sonia doesn't have anything else to say, but she thinks of the rumor Chiaki told her about.

Sonia heard, once, that stories often exaggerate feelings for the sake of the story.

Sonia wonders, then, if they exaggerate love.

Sonia wonders if her friendship with Gundham holds any romantic love.

Sonia flips through her novels, and wishes they could answer her questions about life.

Peko and Fuyuhiko are very close in class.

Akane and Nekomaru are, according to gossipers, dating.

Sonia isn't sure what to think about dating.

Sonia passes her classes for the first year.

Sonia graduates the grade with her class.

Gundham asks her out over the break.

Sonia doesn't feel disgust for him.

But Sonia doesn't feel a spark with him.

Sonia says she'll have to think it over.

They fall back into being friends, and when they go back to class for the second year, Gundham suggests they forget the whole affair.

Sonia agrees.

Sonia listens as her classmates go over what they did over the break.

Sonia speaks of visiting Novosolic.

Sonia doesn't say a thing about herself, just her country and people.

Sonia wonders when she got so shy.

Sonia begins to participate more often in class activities, more than she was before.

The class has a pizza party. Sonia goes.

The class has a regular party. Sonia goes.

The class has a field trip. Sonia goes.

Sonia bumps into one of the underclassmen, and apologizes.

The underclassman apologizes as well, and Sonia can only stare.

She is beautiful in a familiar way, and her grin reminds Sonia of playing in the snow.

Sonia softly says that she is pretty.

The underclassman – Sayaka – thanks her and leaves.

Sonia delves back into her studies, curious as to what that split second where it felt like she couldn't breathe was about.

The websites say love.

The books say jealousy.

Sayaka isn't Prince Charming, so Sonia supposes it must be jealousy.

Even the websites agree when she brings that detail up.

But it doesn't feel like jealousy.

Sonia avoids Sayaka, and all the underclassmen to be safe.

Sonia hangs out with Chiaki and Gundham.

Sonia forgets to ask Nagito about his joke.

Sonia forgets about the joke entirely.

Until one day Hiyoko announces that she and Mahiru are dating, and Sonia can only stare and stare.

Dating?

Neither of them are a "prince."

Sonia wonders if she got something wrong.

Sonia congratulations them without hearing what she's saying.

Sonia reads, and reads, but there's no mention of girls being with girls in any of her novels.

Sonia asks the librarian if there are any books like that.

Sonia takes out a book, reading it as Chiaki plays video games on the same couch.

Sonia's hands begin to tremble as she turns page after page.

Sonia marks the page with a bookmark, and looks up at Chiaki.

Sonia thinks about Sayaka.

Sonia cuts the hang out short, apologizing and saying she just remembered an assignment she wished to get a head start on.

Sonia goes back to her room.

The fairytales can't offer her anything now.

The horror novels can only suggest monsters and terrors.

The textbooks on religion seem the best option.

Sonia opens one and turns to a page she never understood.

Sonia traces her fingers over the words, and wonders if she's looking for an answer that isn't there.

Or if the answer was taken out for some reason.

Sonia wonders why she never heard of this before.

For the first time since she heard of the concept, Sonia lets go of the concept of "Prince Charming."

Sonia goes to class with smiles and silence.

Sonia doesn't think about what it means.

Sonia hangs out with Gundham, brushing the fur of a cat.

Sonia asks how he would describe love.

Gundham blushes and stutters.

Sonia lets the topic drop.

Sonia asks Mahiru, privately, how she knew she liked Hiyoko.

Mahiru shrugs, but her next words offer Sonia an answer she fears may be incomplete.

Sonia glances over at Chiaki during class.

She is sleeping, head buried in her hoodie arms.

Sonia glances over at Nagito during class.

All at once, the joke he made clicked.

Sonia thinks of three boys she used to watch from the windows as a child, and wonders what love felt like to them.

Sonia thinks about how she felt nothing for them.

Sonia thinks about how she _should_ have felt something for them.

Sonia sends a letter to her parents, mentioning Gundham less and Chiaki more.

Her parents continue to ask about Gundham, not Chiaki.

Sonia wants to make them proud.

Sonia can still find her Prince Charming. There's still time in her life.

Sonia goes out to a "girls' night."

Sonia tries not to think about how beautiful all the girls in the room are.

Mahiru brings her to the side and asks if everything is okay.

Sonia, like she has been taught to, presents the truth on a silver platter of lies.

She will be fine. She is simply stressed; she is distracted, thinking about something she discussed with her parents.

Mahiru lets it go.

They finish the girls' night, and Sonia lies awake for an extra hour after everyone else.

Sonia has to try not to cry.

Sonia gets up and goes for a walk.

Sonia brings along the book she took out; the book she still hasn't finished yet.

Sonia finishes the book on a park bench in her pajamas.

Sonia finds herself crying over the happy ending.

Or maybe she's crying over herself?

Sonia doesn't want a fairytale.

Sonia wants a romance story.

Sonia is sick of the prince and the princess, so she goes back to the house, opens the laptop she bought for her classes, and looks up more novels with a girl and a girl.

Sonia glances over at Chiaki.

Chiaki is peaceful, and adorable, and Sonia wants to lie next to her.

Sonia turns back to the laptop.

Sonia says nothing that night, the next day, or the next week.

The collection of fairytales she's had since she was a child sits on her shelf right next to her own, purchased and not borrowed, version of her first princess and princess novel.

Sonia looks up how to know if you're in love.

Sonia buys some chocolates.

Sonia... 

... Can't do it. Not yet.

Sonia is introduced to Nagito's boyfriend, and this time, she hears her own congratulations.

Sonia goes over the marriage traditions of her own country.

Sonia finds there is nothing that doesn't allow her to marry a girl.

Sonia wonders why, then, she always heard about marrying a boy?

Sonia throws out the old chocolate, because it went bad, and buys Chiaki a friendly coffee instead.

And because she can, a horror novel she thinks she'll like.

Chiaki accepts both of the gifts with a smile and a hug.

Sonia thinks she might combust.

Sonia stops avoiding the underclassmen.

Sonia stares at her phone, at a selfie the lowerclassman Sayaka took right before going on stage. The comments section is already filled with thousands of compliments, and Sonia doubts anything she says will be noticed.

Sonia blinks at Sayaka's gorgeous face, her cheery smile, her flowing hair.

Her dress reminds her of something she wore as a child, while walking to her tutoring room after a play break, and Sonia's fingers tremble as she writes out a comment.

Sonia presses send.

Sonia is amazed to find her phone has droplets of her tears on it.

Sonia thinks, maybe she can find her own version of a happily ever after?

Sonia thinks about her female classmates.

Sonia thinks about Chiaki.

Sonia smiles and wipes her tears.

Tomorrow, she'll buy the needed materials for an old ritual she once performed for luck, because she'll need it for what she plans to do.

But for now, Sonia decides she'll be okay


End file.
